Easy French Bread Recipe (Only 4 Ingredients!) – The Kitchen Girl (2024)

4.99 from 91 votes

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This easy French bread recipe uses only 4 ingredients and makes the best homemade oven-baked loaf. Learn how to make crispy bakery French bread right out of the oven that becomes soft and chewy as it cools.

Easy French Bread Recipe (Only 4 Ingredients!) – The Kitchen Girl (1)

Table of Contents hide

1) What is French bread?

2) Why you'll love this recipe

3) How to make French bread

4) Stand mixer bread vs hand kneaded bread

5) Proofing

6) French bread shapes

7) Tools and equipment

8) Can you freeze French bread?

9) Recommended bread recipes

10) How to serve French bread

11) 📖 Recipe

12) Easy French Bread Recipe

What is French bread?

This homemade French bread is made with flour, water, yeast, and salt. It can be mixed by hand or a stand mixer and shaped into your favorite form. Once baked, the crust is golden and crispy. As it cools, it becomes a super soft French loaf for anything.

Why you'll love this recipe

  • Easy for any bread-baking level - This simple bread recipe is tried and trusted among bread beginners and skilled bakers.
  • You need only four ingredients - Flour, water, yeast, and salt- to make French bread dough. Of course, you also need a tiny amount of oil to prevent the dough from sticking during the proofing phase.
  • Two yeast options - This recipe includes instant or active dry yeast instructions.
  • Two mixing methods - You can hand-knead the dough or use an electric mixer – both methods are included.
  • Economical - The ingredients for this homemade French bread are a fraction of the cost of store-bought bread.
  • Enjoyment - Making bread at home is fun and relaxing, especially when your whole house smells like a bakery.
Easy French Bread Recipe (Only 4 Ingredients!) – The Kitchen Girl (2)

How to make French bread

Here's a brief overview. Visit the printable recipe card below for detailed instructions.

  1. Combine water and yeast and bloom yeast if needed.
  2. Add flour and salt.
  3. Mix and knead the dough.
  4. 1st proofing - This means allowing the dough to double in size. You can even proof dough in the Instant Pot to accelerate this process.
  5. Deflate and reshape to prep for 2nd proofing.
  6. 2nd proofing - This is optional but recommended for gluten development.
  7. Deflate and shape dough into a baguette, oval, round, or loaf.
  8. Final proofing - This means allowing the final form to expand before baking.
  9. Bake the French loaf.
  10. Cool and store.
Easy French Bread Recipe (Only 4 Ingredients!) – The Kitchen Girl (3)

Stand mixer bread vs hand kneaded bread

This soft French bread recipe can be easily kneaded by hand or with a stand mixer. Depending on the batch size I want to make, I bounce between both mixing methods. So, I included instructions for both methods in the recipe below.

How to knead French bread in the stand mixer

I use my 5-quart KitchenAid stand mixer for this bread recipe, which yields about 2 pounds of dough. This size is perfect for my 5-quart mixer with the dough hook attachment because it mixes and kneads without any delay. The mixer struggles with smaller batches because the attachment can't reach the ingredients to gather and knead the dough effectively.

To mix dough in a stand mixer, secure the dough hook attachment. Use the lowest speed to mix and knead ingredients into a cohesive, smooth, elastic dough (about 3-5 minutes). Sprinkle reserved flour into the bowl as needed during the mixing process to prevent the dough from sticking to the sides of the bowl. You may also need to stop the mixer and pull the dough back into cohesion with a spatula or your hands.

How to knead French bread by hand

Hand-kneading - Knowing how to knead dough without an electric mixer is good. I usually hand-knead this French bread recipe when I make a half batch (1-pound dough yield) because my hands can incorporate and knead smaller batches more efficiently than the mixer.

To hand knead: Stir ingredients together (using a utensil or your hands) in a large mixing bowl until a shaggy dough forms. Transfer dough to a steady surface and hand-knead until a cohesive, elastic dough forms (about 3-5 minutes). Sprinkle the reserved flour in small amounts to prevent the dough from sticking to the table or your hands during the entire process.

Proofing

You can proof homemade French bread using different methods. Proofing bread in the Instant Pot is my favorite! It creates the ideal environment to proof at a constant temperature of 90 degrees Fahrenheit. It's so convenient because your dough doubles in size in only 45 minutes, even in a chilly or drafty environment.

Easy French Bread Recipe (Only 4 Ingredients!) – The Kitchen Girl (4)

French bread shapes

Shaping French bread is half the fun! You can shape a baguette, sandwich loaf, oval, or round. A baguette or loaf pan isn't required, but they help maintain shape and height, which is great for bread beginners, especially if your dough texture is loose.

Here are some 'before and after' examples of my French bread shapes.

Free-form French Baguettes or long loaves. These have so many uses. People love to use this style to serve with pulled pork. French bread also goes with any meat and cheese board.

Easy French Bread Recipe (Only 4 Ingredients!) – The Kitchen Girl (5)
Easy French Bread Recipe (Only 4 Ingredients!) – The Kitchen Girl (6)

French sandwich loaf in a loaf pan

Easy French Bread Recipe (Only 4 Ingredients!) – The Kitchen Girl (7)
Easy French Bread Recipe (Only 4 Ingredients!) – The Kitchen Girl (8)

Free-form oval sandwich loaf on a mini baking sheet

Easy French Bread Recipe (Only 4 Ingredients!) – The Kitchen Girl (9)
Easy French Bread Recipe (Only 4 Ingredients!) – The Kitchen Girl (10)

These are the bare minimum bread tools needed for this recipe. I've included links to these and additional tools in the recipe card below.

  • Mixing bowls - Use these to knead dough by hand and/or proof dough.
  • Stand mixer - (Optional) You can also knead French bread by hand.
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Quick-read thermometer - (optional) Gauge water temperature and baked bread temperature.
  • Dough whisk - Or any stirring utensil to combine ingredients
  • Baking sheet
  • Parchment paper - This helps prevent the bread from sticking to the bakeware.
  • Bread lame - This scores the dough. A plain razor blade can also be used.
  • Oven mitts - Use these for safe handling of hot bread and bakeware.

Looking for the best stand mixer for bread? Check out my feature comparison article and VIDEO: KitchenAid Artisan vs Professional 600 models.

Easy French Bread Recipe (Only 4 Ingredients!) – The Kitchen Girl (11)

Can you freeze French bread?

Yes! Allow the loaf to cool completely and freeze in an airtight bag or freezer-safe container for up to 30 days. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for a few hours.

Recommended bread recipes

  • How to Make Crostini
  • Homemade Croutons
  • Cranberry Walnut Bread
  • Pull Apart Bread
  • Best Bread Stuffing
  • How to Dry Out Bread

How to serve French bread

There's nothing better than dinner served with fresh, homemade French bread. Grab any one of these mouthwatering entrees made for Instant Pot or stove!

  • Lasagna Soup
  • Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo
  • Chickpea Kale Soup
  • Split Pea Soup
  • Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce
  • Sausage Soup
  • Minestrone Soup
  • White Bean Kale Soup

📖 Recipe

Easy French Bread Recipe (Only 4 Ingredients!) – The Kitchen Girl (12)

Easy French Bread Recipe

This easy French bread recipe uses only 4 ingredients and makes the best homemade oven-baked loaf. Learn how to make bakery French bread that's crispy right out of the oven and becomes soft and chewy as it cools.

Prep TimePrep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook TimeCook Time: 25 minutes mins

Proofing Time: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Total timeTotal Time: 2 hours hrs

Yield 2 ¾-pound loaves

Author Traci Antonovich

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Ingredients

Yields about 1 ½ pounds dough (780 g)

  • 1 ⅓ cup Warm Water (315 g) see instructions for temperature
  • 1 (¼-ounce packet) Quick Rise Instant Yeast or 2 ¼ tsp Active Dry Yeast
  • 1 ½ teaspoon Sea Salt *see recipe footnote
  • 3 ½ cups Unbleached All Purpose Flour (480 g) set aside ½ cup to assist mixing

Equipment

Instructions

  • Whisk together WARM WATER and *YEAST in a large mixing bowl (or in a stand mixer bowl fitted with the dough hook attachment).

    * Active dry yeast requires a water temperature of 100 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Once combined, set aside for about 5 minutes until the yeast blooms to the surface before moving on to the next step.

    * Quick Rise Instant Yeast needs a water temperature of 120 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit but doesn't need to bloom. Proceed to step 2.

  • Add FLOUR and SALT to the water and yeast mixture. Stir ingredients with any utensil (or stand mixer at the lowest speed) until a shaggy dough forms.

  • Use your hands (or stand mixer) to knead the dough about 5 minutes until it becomes stretchy and pliable. Sprinkle small amounts of the reserved flour to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands or mixing bowl.

  • Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and shape into a tight, round form, tucking the sides under to form a seam on the bottom.

  • To proof the dough, place it in a covered mixing bowl seam side down. Rest the bowl in a warm spot for about 45 minutes or until it doubles in size.

    Note: You can proof dough in the Instant Pot if you have one with a 'yogurt' setting. So cool!

  • Deflate the dough (aka punch it down) to remove air bubbles.

  • You can move on to the next step, or...

    (optional) Perform 2nd poof/rise by repeating the previous proofing step to further develop texture and flavor. Note: This adds another 45 minutes to the time.

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

  • Let's shape these loaves! Here's how:

    Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Press to deflate air pockets and divide the dough into 2 or 3 equal sections.

    Press each piece into a loose rectangle shape.

    Fold and press the dough into itself until it becomes tight while forming it into the final shape (baguette, loaf, or round).

    Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet or loaf pan and cover to prevent air exposure.

  • Perform final proof/rise by resting the bread forms for about 30 minutes in a warm spot.

  • Score the dough by making ¼-inch slits across each loaf with a razor blade or bread lame.

  • Bake 20-25 minutes, rotating halfway through, as needed for even browning.

    Fully baked French bread will be crisp and golden brown. If tested with a quick-read thermometer, it should be between 190 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

    Note: The crisp surface will completely soften once it cools.

  • Transfer loaves onto a cooling rack and rest 5 minutes.

    Remove loaves from pans and rest on the cooling rack until completely cooled (to retain moisture).

    Store cooled bread in a plastic bag or airtight container up to 2 days at room temperature or 5 days in the refrigerator.

Final step

Click stars to vote. Please visit 'Comments' below for reviews.

4.99 from 91 votes

Recipe Notes

These tools are nonessential, but they can make your job easier when making bread

Instant yeast note: The packages are usually labeled as quick rise, rapid rise, and fast rising. They are all the same product.

Note about salt: Use sea salt, kosher salt, or non-iodized salt for this recipe because iodized table salt can affect yeast fermentation and flavor.

Did you make this recipe? I'd love to see it!Follow @thekitchengirl on Instagram, snap a photo, and tag #thekitchengirl. This always makes my day!

Nutrition

Serving: 12 oz. slice | Calories: 97kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 147mg | Potassium: 35mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg

Course Bread, Sandwich

Cuisine American, French, Italian

Diet Vegan, Vegetarian

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Easy French Bread Recipe (Only 4 Ingredients!) – The Kitchen Girl (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret of French bread? ›

One of the secrets of a great baguette is to start with a sponge (a mix of flour, water, and yeast), which gives the yeast time to mature and combine with the other ingredients, creating the mildly sour and nutty flavors and chewy texture.

What is the secret of baking bread? ›

Measure carefully

Small differences in the amount of water, yeast or salt can make a big difference to your finished loaf. Too much heat will kill the yeast, so don't prove it in a very hot place, and use water that is warm rather than hot. Test the water with a clean finger – it should be about body temperature.

Why are the French so good at making bread? ›

In France, bakers pay careful attention to where their flour is made and which grains are used in the milling process. The result is usually softer, heartier, and tastier bread than can be found in other parts of the world. French flour tends to be made with a lower ash content than the flour from other countries.

What is the name of the famous bread served with most meals in France? ›

Baguette – a long, thin type of bread of French origin. The "baguette de tradition française" is made from wheat flour, water, yeast, and common salt.

What makes French bread taste like French bread? ›

The use of high-quality flour (usually from France) and the traditional slow fermentation method give French bread its unique flavor and texture. Thanks to the precise baking techniques used by French bakers, the crust is usually crispy and the crumb is light and fluffy.

What is the best flour for French bread? ›

Typically, French flour for breadmaking is Type 55 or T55. The higher the number, the more of the whole grain it contains.

Which flour is best for bread? ›

While bread flour is the best option, it can sometimes be used if you don't have bread flour. “Check the protein content,” advises Chef Jürgen, since it can vary from brand to brand, and an all-purpose flour that contains protein on the higher end of the range, 12 to 13 percent, will produce a better outcome.

What not to do when baking bread? ›

The top mistakes you're making when you bake bread
  1. You're measuring incorrectly. ...
  2. Your yeast is old. ...
  3. You're using low-protein flour. ...
  4. You're using too much flour (or water) ...
  5. Your oven isn't hot enough.
Apr 15, 2020

What is the most important ingredient in baking bread? ›

Wheat flour is the key ingredient in most breads. Flour quality is particularly important in breadmaking as the quality of the flour will have a significant impact on the finished product. When flour is moistened and stirred, beaten or kneaded, gluten develops to give dough `stretch`.

What makes New Orleans French bread so good? ›

French bread in New Orleans has developed its own light, crispy crust and tender, almost frothy interior. The addition of a bit of olive oil and a wet dough make the crumb very tender and more close-grained than a traditional baguette.

Why are baguettes so cheap in France? ›

1 – Regular French Baguette = Cheap Bread in France

Hence, the bakers use the cheapest ingredients to keep it low cost. And some people apparently like that taste because “le pain” (the bigger loaf of French bread”) and “la baguette” still sell like… hot cakes (pun intended). Of course, it's a question of taste.

Why does bakery bread taste so good? ›

The secret to the wonderful taste and aroma of freshly baked bread is the Maillard reaction. It's a chemical reaction between proteins, certain carbohydrates and some of the fatty acids that occur when bread is baked in the oven, which gives it a delicious flavour and fine colour.

What is the fancy name for French bread? ›

A baguette is a long, thin loaf of French bread.

What's the difference between French bread and a baguette? ›

French bread is wider and longer than a baguette, with a much softer crust. It doesn't require any special equipment to make and it's just as versatile as a baguette, but its soft outside makes it perfect for toast or garlic bread.

How is French bread different from regular bread? ›

Besides the obvious fact that French bread is typically longer and thinner than regular loaves, it tends to be less sweet and has a crispier crust. French bread is usually also made with very simple ingredients instead of sandwich bread, which can have many different additives.

Why does my French bread have no flavor? ›

Your bland bread could be the result of rushing the process. Try a slow overnight rise in the refrigerator. Plan ahead to proof your loaf overnight. This hands-off time in the icebox will slow the fermentation process in your dough and result in a complex-flavored loaf.

What are some facts about French bread? ›

More Fun Facts about French Bread
  • French baguettes are protected by law. France passed a law in 1993 that establishes standards for their culinary symbol. ...
  • Baguettes have a standard size. ...
  • There's a right way to carry baguettes. ...
  • Scores serve a purpose.
Mar 10, 2023

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